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Bulletin – 14/11
For the penultimate round of the 2011 SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship competitors returned to the forests after 3 tarmac rallies. Round 12 of the championship was the Malton Forest Rally, running in the North Yorkshire forests. The weather was uncharacteristically dry and bright for November, resulting in perfect conditions for the competitors.
Taking their first ever maximum SG Petch championship points were John Bainbridge/Giles Dykes (Subaru Impreza), John hasn’t competed since the Tour of Hamsterley in May and for this rally hired a car from John Pye Motorsport. They hadn’t driven the car before the start but found the car easy to drive, and returned to the finish reporting no major incidents, and with no marks on the car. 2nd ANECCC crew to finish were another one that hasn’t competed since the Tour of Hamsterley, Alan Hughes/Richard Wardle were a last minute entry in their Ford Escort MkII, as they were not sure if their new engine would arrive on time. They spent the day getting used to the different characteristics of the new engine, and a revised brake set up, but despite a visit to the odd ditch, brought the car home safely. Joanna Wickham/ Josh Davison (Subaru Impreza) had their best result of the year taking 3rd place points, and the only reported incident was a near spin at the main viewing point at the Pickering Showground stage.
Alistair Hutchinson/St John Dykes (Renault Clio) had an eventful day on their way to a 4th place ANECCC points finish. The first loop of four stages passed without any major incidents, but that changed on the second run through the Pickering Showground stage when they broke a driveshaft and lost over half a minute. On the final stage the engine started to misfire and the gearbox started making ominous noises, but they made it to the finish. It was only after loading the car onto the trailer did they notice that the rear suspension had pushed through the floor. The final ANECCC finishers were Colin Butler/Andrew Hutchinson (Subaru Impreza), who wished the rally had started after the first loop of stages where they hadn’t woken up and also slid straight on into a ditch. On the second loop of stages they were over 2 minutes faster, which if they had been on that pace from the start they could have finished 10 places higher overall.
The only non finishers among the SG Petch ANECCC competitors were Charlie Taylor/Steve Bielby (Ford Escort MkII), they were using the rally to test new Pirelli tyres before the Roger Albert Clark Rally, and after 4 stages were well pleased with them. But when the gearbox seized on the 7th staged they were forced into retirement.
With one round to go where do these results leave the championship position. Despite not starting the Malton Forest Rally Richard Cook has secured his 4th SG Petch ANECCC drivers championship title in the last 5 years. 2nd and 3rd place positions will be decided on the Grizedale Stages in 3 weeks time between Barry Lindsay and Mark I’Anson.
In the co-drivers championship Edwin Cook had sown up this year’s championship on the last round, the Cheviot Keith Knox Stages. 2nd and 3rd places will also be decided on the Grizedale Stages, between, Michael Lindsay, Andrew Roughead and St John Dykes.
A number of class awards were also decided after the Malton Forest Rally, in the 1400cc class Sian Beaty has secured the drivers award, and Colin Tombs the co-drivers. In the 4WD class Joanna Wickham has secured 1st in class with John Bainbridge taking 2nd, and Josh Davison has won the co-drivers award.
After twelve round the current points standings are:-
Drivers
Richard Cook 121 pts, Barry Lindsay 94 pts, Mark I’Anson 84 pts, Alistair Hutchinson and Joanna Wickham 53 pts and Charlie Taylor 52 pts.
Co-drivers.
Edwin Cook 121 pts, Michael Lindsay 79 pts, Andrew Roughead 77 pts, Josh Davison and St John Dykes 61 pts and Caroline Lodge 56 pts.
The final round, the Grizedale Stages Rally on the 26th/27th November, with scrutineering and a night stage on Saturday 26th, with six further stages on the Sunday, for full details see the rally website www.grizedalestages.co.uk
As stated in the last couple of Bulletins I am looking to stand down from my role as championship coordinator, so if you know of someone who may be interested in taking on this role can they contact me or any of the ANECCC officials, and we can discuss what is involved etc.
If anyone has any questions please contact.
Gordon Dundee
S G Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship Coordinator
Home - 0191 3773228
Mobile - 07799 140427
E-mail - gordon@dundee.fsworld.co.uk.
Posted in Bulletins, Malton Forest Rally on: November 7th, 2011
Malton Forest Stages Results
Congratulations to Richard and Edwin Cook (Vauxhall Astra) on winning the SG Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship for the 3rd time, after a steady run at a very wet Malton Forest Stages, they did what was required to win the championship, by taking 2nd place points. For the second year the prize drive of a Group N SG Petch Mitsubishi Evo now awaits them on the Jack Frost Stages in January.
The result of the championship was left squarely in the Cook’s hands when William Jarman/Mark Fisher (Escort Cosworth) blew the front diff on the very first stage, they had replaced the slipping clutch that had plagued them on the Keith Knox Stages Rally, but the diff failed when they hit a tarmac stretch on the spectator stage at the Pickering Showground.
Fastest on the first stage was Gary Cooper/ Jon Riley (Subaru Impreza) but their rally came to a sudden stop on the second stages when the side swiped a gate post and inflicted substantial damage to the rear of the Impreza. This left the way clear for Charlie Taylor/ Steve Bielby (Ford Escort MkII) to have a clean steady run to maximum points, with no reported incidents.
John Bainbridge/ Giles Dykes (Subaru Impreza) took 3rd place points, they reported the stages were very slippy with a 2 wheel moment on Gale Rigg, a change of rear tyres with extra cuts made the car more stable for the second loop of stages.
Fourth place points went to Neil Ayre/Kevin Garthwaite (Mitsubishi Evo 6) who was out in the forests for the first time in a 4WD car, after a steady run on the first 3 stages they upped their pace and finished the day with wide grins on their faces, and with an undamaged car. A couple of registered co-drivers were out with different drives and Chris Purvis took maximum co-drivers points, and 3rd overall, with Tony Arnsby (Mitsubishi Evo 8), they had a problem with the newly fitted heated front screen not being able to handle the wet conditions and they suffered misting, also when leaving service they couldn’t get first gear, this was quickly fixed but the suffered a 10 second road penalty. Shaun Leggott was also out in a Mitsubishi, David Wallbank’s Evo 5, they were running just outside the top 20 when they retired on stage 4. There was a slight scare for the Cook camp when it was reported Richard was seen on the end of a tow rope, but they need not have worried as this it was them generously giving a fellow competitor a tow back to service.
Although 1st place has been secured by Richard and Edwin Cook, 3 crews could still finish as runner up. William Jarman/Mark Fisher are currently 1 point ahead of Barry and Michael Lindsay, with Marcus Noble/Helen Hall a further 12 points behind, so it is all down to the last round in 4 weeks time, the Grizedale Stages Rally
The final round is the Grizedale Stages Rally, based in Coniston in the Lake District, on Saturday 29th November 2008. Regs and entries are available from the website www.grizedalestages.co.uk. The rally features 6 stages totalling 41 miles with 58 miles of road section. Due to the loss of their usual service area the Organisers have made significant changes to the route - hence more road miles than usual - but have retained the usual format with 4 long stages in Grizedale and the short but fast Dunnerdale stage run twice at 30 secs. Between each pair of stages are 2 30min Service halts. Entry fees are tiered, starting with sub 1600cc cars at £345 which includes a Service Pack. Full colour maps by Pine lodge Maps are included in the entry fee or you can buy Safety Notes from Pattersons.
If anyone has any questions please contact.
Gordon Dundee
S G Petch ANECCC Stage Rally Championship Coordinator
Home - 0191 3773228
Mobile - 07799 140427
E-mail - gordon@dundee.fsworld.co.uk.
Posted in Malton Forest Rally on: November 4th, 2008